MIPIM Awards 2017: NIKE distribution center is best industrial and logistics development

Jaspers-Eyers Architects, design and consulting company Arcadis, and design agency Pauwels have won the MIPIM award "Best Industrial and Logistics Development” award for their work on the NIKE sports and clothing distribution center in Ham, which was officially opened in 2016. The MIPIM Awards was presented on Thursday 16 March at the annual MIPIM property exhibition in Cannes, a meeting point for property professionals from around the globe.

Bram De Meester

NIKE built a progressive sustainable distribution center on the NIKE European Logistics Campus (ELC) in Ham. It was designed by Belgian architect firm Jaspers-Eyers Architects, and international design and consulting company Arcadis. Pauwels, the landscape design agency based in Leuven, designed the ecological infrastructure and landscaping.

A sustainable logistic hub

Thanks to this latest investment in a state-of-the-art centralized distribution network at the heart of Europe, Nike can now serve a large network of retailers and consumers both in continental Europe and the rest of the world. More than 3,000 employees work for Nike on the Belgian campus.

There were three key themes to the design: non-fossil energy consumption, making the use of energy and resources circular, and creating an environment centered around health and biodiversity.

Facts and figures

Over 95% of containers are transported via the Albert Canal, saving 14,000 trips by trucks over the road network per year. The site has excellent transport links thanks to canals, railways and motorways.

Electricity consumption and environmental impact have been drastically reduced by incorporating lots of glass and automated LED lighting. As an added benefit, this has resulted in a pleasant workplace.

Huge green facade: The distribution center’s facade is covered in greenery over a total length of 1.3 kilometres. This repels the sun, contains emergency routes should the need arise, and improves the building’s appearance.

Concern for biodiversity: Thanks to Arcadis’ recommendations about the natural environment surrounding the distribution center, there was an increase in biodiversity in the area after the construction. Sheep graze and maintain the landscape, while beehives contribute to biodiversity by pollinating flowers both on the site and in the local area.